Center for Autism and Related Disorders Awarded $750,000 Grant from the State of Texas to Provide Therapy to Underserved Children

Share Article

The Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD), Inc., will use a $750,000 state grant to provide therapy to underserved children who live in Austin and the surrounding areas.

"We are excited that Texas has allocated the resources to ensure that children affected by autism get the treatment they need to lead happy, healthy lives," says Operations Manager Dorothy Light, M.A.

Austin, Texas (PRWEB)October 08, 2013

Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD), Inc., today announces the receipt of a $750,000 Autism Program grant from the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). The grant will allow CARD to provide home-based, center-based, and school services for up to two years to underserved children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who live in Austin and outlining areas.

"We are excited that Texas has allocated the resources to ensure that children affected by autism get the treatment they need to lead happy, healthy lives," says Operations Manager Dorothy Light, M.A. "Our team will partner with the families, teachers, and administrators to ensure these children see measurable results from their behavioral treatment."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in every 88 children in America is diagnosed with ASD, making autism more prevalent than pediatric cancer, juvenile diabetes, and childhood AIDS combined. The Ad Hoc Request Texas Health and Human Services Commission GIS/Demographic Team estimates 26,700 children in Texas, between the ages of three and eight years old, are diagnosed with autism. The Autism Program will help the state identify models that best serve these children and will enable lawmakers to strengthen the state's efforts to serve those affected by autism.

CARD is one of the world’s largest and most effective autism treatment providers offering evidence-based, state-of-the-art services to individuals of all ages. CARD is also the nation’s third largest non-governmental organization contributing to autism research. In August, 2009, CARD researchers published "Retrospective Analysis of Clinical Records in 38 Cases of Recovery from Autism” in the Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, showing that recovery from autism is possible with early, intensive intervention using applied behavior analysis (ABA).

One-to-one ABA therapy and Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) will be provided to participants of the Autism Program. Individual client assessment and intervention will be combined with caregiver training to provide optimal treatment for each family. The DARS Autism Program offers a sliding-scale fee based on adjusted gross income. Participating children must be between the ages of three and eights years old, have a diagnosis on the autism spectrum, and be a Texas resident. For more information about the Autism Program, contact Dorothy Light at (512) 330-9520 ext. 25.

About Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitation Services (DARS)
DARS is a state agency that works in partnership with Texans with disabilities and families with children who have developmental delays to improve the quality of their lives and to enable their full participation in society. To find out more about the agency’s services, call the DARS Inquiries Line at 1-800-628-5115. Information about DARS is also available at http://www.dars.state.tx.us.

About Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD)
CARD treats individuals of all ages who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at its 26 treatment centers around the globe. CARD was founded in 1990 by leading autism expert and clinical psychologist Doreen Granpeesheh, PhD, BCBA-D. CARD treats individuals with ASD using the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA), which is empirically proven to be the most effective method for treating individuals with ASD and recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the US Surgeon General. CARD employs a dedicated team of over 1,000 individuals across the nation and internationally. For more information about the Center for Autism and Related Disorders, visit http://www.centerforautism.com or call (855) 345-2273.